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Reports on the privatization of public hospitals in Los Angeles County (LAC), California. Revenues, expenses, loss, budgeted subsidy, surplus or deficit LAC hospitals in fiscal year ended June 30, 1996; Partnership between private and public hospitals; Alternatives to the closure of the LAC-University of Southern California Medical Center.

Focuses on four California health maintenance organizations (HMOs) planning to expand to the eastern side of the United States because of California's saturated market. Obstacles of the California HMOs eastward movement; Problems of cultural assim ilation. INSETS: Foundation uses CHAMPUS as building block to expand.;PacifiCare uses Medicare risk to expand to new states.;FHP's acquisition of TakeCare fueled growth.;Giant WellPoint-HSI sets ambitious expansion goals.

Questions whether the managed-care plan, initiated in April, 1997, the Los Angeles Care Health Plan will work. Skepticism over the plan; How the plan works; Who are eligible for the plan; Comments from persons in the industry.

Presents a guide to dining in the Los Angeles area for people planning to attend the American Library Association's (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in 1994. Discussion of restaurants which were chosen with lunch in mind; Pasta Firenze; The Palm Terrace Restaurant; The Original Pantry Cafe; Il Fornaio's; More.

Reports that major California purchasers are spending time and money to ensure health maintenance organizations (HMOs) improve in their quality of care. When the premium rates for employers belonging to the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) will drop; Average rate reduction won by the PBGH; Statements from Cheryl Dambert, director of research for the PBGH. INSET: Pacific Business Group on Health's quality initiatives..

Reports on the launching by supporters of Proposition 216, a California ballot initiative aimed at curbing healthcare abuses, of a media blitz. Health maintenance organizations (HMO) patients who died or became critically ill because they were allegedly denied of care; Co-sponsorship of the blitz by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights; Amount HMOs would allegedly spend to defeat the proposition.

Looks into the profitability of the merger between Santa Monica Hospital and University of California Los Angeles Medical Center. Evaluation of services rendered; Advantages of consolidated managed-care contracting; Centralization of financial services and materials management.

Discusses the aspirations of physician John Lewin as president of the California Medical Association. Concerns of access and accountability; Submission of a physician-owned and -operated health plan proposal; Plans' offering of multiple products.

Reports that the Los Angeles County, California, has launched the first of its public-private partnerships in response to a budget crisis that in the fall of 1995 threatened closure of public hospitals and clinics. Restructuring made of its delivery system; Obstacles to be faced in meeting its goals; Factors that will contribute to the success of the privatization.

Reports on the challenges to be faced by Mark R. Finucane as chief of the Los Angeles County's health services department. Job experiences; Methods to be used in stabilizing the morale of the department.

Reports on a nurses' sickout which is precipitated by the fiscal crisis in Los Angeles County, California. Ambulance diversion from the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center contributing to the death of a gunshot victim's death; County supervisors' consideration of a proposal from County Administrator Sally Reed to close the hospital.

Reports on the rebuilding of Santa Monica Hospital and Saint John's Hospital and Health Center in California after the Northridge quake on January 17, 1994. Santa Monica Hospital as part of the UniHealth America system; Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas as owner of Saint John; Discussion of a possible merger; Strategy of rebuilding.

Reports on the filing of charges by the California-based National Pain Institute of Marina del Rey against some compensation insurers in California. Reaction of the defendants and details of the suit.

Reports that California hospital and physician associations are working to defeat two initiatives on the November 1994 ballot that would radically alter state healthcare delivery. Opposition to Proposition 187, the `Save Our State' initiative endorsed by Governor Pete Wilson; Denial of non-emergency care to illegal aliens; Voters' objections to Proposition 186, the `California Health Security Act.'

Reports on the efforts of California legislators and consumer groups to abolish or limit mandatory arbitration at health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Reference to a court ruling in Engalla verses Permanente Medical Group; Why Kaiser and Cigna Health Plans require arbitration for malpractice claims; Comments from Margo Hunter of Consumers Union in San Francisco.

Provides information on a law passed aimed at health maintenance organizations (HMO) in California, who wish to convert to for-profit status. Requirements of the law for HMOs; Impact of the law on Scan Health Plan's bid to convert; Review of SCAN's application to convert; Comments from Bill Rice, chief financial officer at SCAN; Why SCAN wants to convert.

Reports that Kaiser Permanente signed a memorandum of understanding with Alta Bates Medical Center to provide inpatient services to Kaiser's women enrollees in the Oakland area in California. Reasons surrounding the alliance; How Kaiser provided inpatient care to its health plan enrollees; Terms of the agreement; Kaiser's future plans.

Reports on the approval of a plan by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, California, that will see private contractors serving county patients at 36 private clinics. Reason for the plan by the Board; What the approval is part of by the County; Other matters approved by the Board.

Reports on California governor Pete Wilson's reduction of payments for prenatal care for illegal immigrants in a move to implement the new federal welfare reform law. Estimated number of illegal immigrant women who received prenatal care in the state in 1995; State healthcare officials' criticism of the governor's order; Impact of the reduction on Medi-Cal payments.

Reports that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in California are protesting the awarding of a contract to two organizations to evaluate HMOs seeking state licensure. Contract awarded to California Medical Association's Institute for Medical Quality subsidiary and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; Limited experiences of the two groups.

Reports that the University of California Board of Regents has approved the creation of board for private, not-for-profit corporation to oversee the planned merger of UC San Francisco and Stanford University medical facilities. Opposition to the proposed merger; Purpose of the nonprofit public benefit corporation; Financial performance of Stanford in 1994.

Reports on Stanford University's threat to call off its proposed merger of its medical facilities with those of University of California at San Francisco. Reasons behind the threat; Duration of consolidation talks; Arguments against the merger.

Reports on the release of a report card by the California Cooperative HEDIS Reporting Initiative comparing the HMO performance using data validated by an independent auditor. Performance of the HMO in line with expectations; Number of health plans rated; Three top performers.

Focuses on a report criticizing Los Angeles County, California's bloated bureaucracy and extravagant spending and recommending the closure of underused public hospitals. Amount of healthcare budget deficit in 1995; Occupancy rates of hospitals in the county.

Focuses on the California Cooperative HEDIS Reporting Initiative's (CCHRI) performance report on managed care in the state. Data analyzed in the report; Format of the CCHRI's report.

Reports on negotiations between Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. and Kaiser Permanente in Northern California for the management of the emergency room in Healdsburg General Hospital, run by Columbia, by the physicians of Kaiser. One-third of Healdsburg's 95,000 residents as Kaiser enrollees; Other connections of Kaiser and Columbia.

Reports on the lawsuit filed by Keystone Health Plan East against physician David Abrams and Los Angeles, California-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Alleged violations committed by the center.

Announces the release of the second outcomes report from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) on California hospitals, providing risk-adjusted information on mortality following heart attacks. Data on their acute myocardial infarction outcomes; Benefits from the report; Deficiency in OSHPD's research methods.

Reports on the stall in the search of the Los Angeles County, California for private partners to take over 22 outpatient primary care clinics. County's absence of funds to pay potential partners; Budget deficit of the county for 1995; Health services affected from the county's lack of funds.

Reports on the ongoing talks between the University of California at San Francisco and Stanford University concerning a merger of their medical centers and clinics. Advantage of combining forces in the health environment driven by managed-care; Combined assets of the institutions; Key features of the merger proposal being considered by the institutions.

Reports on the development of a four-year managed care pilot program for children's mental health needs in San Francisco, California. Funding through grant from the Department of Health and Human Services' HHS Maternal and Child Health Program; Spearheading of the program by the Parents Helping Parents Family Resource Center and Kaiser Permanente facilities.

Reports on the California Department of Health Services' completion of awards of Medi-Cal managed-care contracts to commercial health maintenance organizations (HMO) in a program covering 12 counties. Features of the contracts; Features of the Medi-Cal program; Features of the contract with Foundation Health.

Reports that voters at Ventura County, California, rejected plans for construction of an outpatient wing at Ventura County Medical Center through a ballot referendum. Opposition from Community Memorial Hospital; County's plan of issuing certificates of participation to finance the construction.

Reports that residents of Ventura County, California will vote on March 26, 1996 on a ballot referendum that seeks to halt the construction of a $51 million outpatient wing on Ventura County Medical Center. Sponsor of the referendum; Argument on the lack of need for the outpatient facilities.

Reports on California Healthcare Association's adoption of a draft policy of non-profit healthcare organizations' conversion to for-profit status. Group's review of proposed state or federal legislation; Impetus for the formulation of the policy; Comments from C. Duane Dauner, president of the association.

Reports on the court decision concerning the malpractice suit against the physicians of Joyce Ching for delaying her referral to a specialist which lead to her death. California jury's decision to award $2.9 million to her family; Reduction of award due to state limits on damages for medical malpractice.

Reports that the California State Department of Health Services is investigating charges that officials at Universal Care failed to stop the company's enrollers from offering Medicaid recipients cash, alcohol and drugs to sign up for its health maintenance organization. How investigator Barry Lewis uncovered the malpractice; Denial by Jeffry Davis, chief operating officer at Universal.

Reports on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) grant of approval for Los Angeles County hospitals damaged by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, to spend federal disaster relief funds as they see fit. Negotiations between county hospitals and FEMA; Policy as contrary to the county's plans of downsizing hospitals; Repair of healthcare facilities.

Reports that Los Angeles, California County Dept. of Health Services officials are probing charges of improper moonlighting by county physicians. Investigations of charges that some physicians on the county payroll have been funneling Medi-Cal patients away from county hospitals to private hospitals where they also work; Medi-Cal as California's Medicaid program.

Reports that a state court jury has awarded nearly $14 million in damages to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, California in a suit charging that physicians Mark A. Smith and Erwin C. Demiany who had been former hospital staff members built competing facilities and steered patients to them. Complaints cited in the suit.

Reports on the role of large employers in the expansion of managed care in California. Percentage of the state population covered by health maintenance organizations; Managed care enrollment from 1988 to 1994; California as the highest among all states in terms of vulnerable populations seeking healthcare.

Reports that most services at six county comprehensive health centers and 22 outpatient clinics slated for closure will be maintained under a plan approved by Los Angeles County supervisors in California. Retention of hospital-based outpatient departments within the six county hospitals; Development of the plan by county health crisis manager Burt Margolin.

Reports on the Medicaid waiver granted by US President Bill Clinton to the health care system in Los Angeles County, California. Reprieve's impact on the plans to reorganize the system; Delay in closure and privatization of health institutions; Service Employees International Union's urging of county supervisors to award contracts to private operators that would retain workers and their union contracts.

Reports on the Blue Shield of California's plan to adopt a bidding strategy for hospitals to gain preferred contracting status. Requirements for hospitals; Plans for announcing decision in November; Effectivity date; Hospitals' reaction to Blue Cross' program for choosing `preferred partners.'

Reports on the filing of a federal class-action suit to halt Los Angeles County's plan to close most of its outpatient facilities and slash hospital outpatient services. Basis of the lawsuit; Submission of bids from private providers; Support from the Department of Health Services.

Reports on the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services' plans to place mentally ill patients to private facilities. Features of the plans; Number of mentally ill patients under county facilities; Features of the proposal by Sally Reed, county administrative officer to close ten outpatient clinics in the area.

Reports on the agreement between FHP Health Care and an American subsidiary of Nippon Life Insurance Co. to offer managed care to Japanese companies in California. Japanese companies that have HMOs; Benefit to Nippon Life; Target number of companies.

Reports on the institution of a transitional level of inpatient care in California. Amount of losses for hospitals; Reimbursement from the state's Medicaid program; Benefits for freestanding nursing home facilities.

Reports the possible closure of public outpatient clinics in Los Angeles County by the county and the efforts of private hospitals to save them. Reasons for the closure; Aims behind the creation of the healthcare crisis task force; Details.

Reports on the approvals from the UC Board of Regents to the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center and Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center to acquire the hospital from UniHealth America of Burbank, California. Announcement of programs by UCLA; Creation of UCLA Health Network; Details.